Cruel Intentions (1999). Based on the novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" by Laclos, this film was set in New York City and is about two step siblings - Sebastian and Kathryn who made a deal of Sebastian bedding the young (and virgin) Annette. If Sebastian is successful in doing so, he can bed his step sister Kathryn, if he is not, Kathryn will get his Jaguar. The film starred Ryan Philippe (Sebastian), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Kathryn) and Reese Witherspoon (Annette), and was directed by Roger Kumble.
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When I got to watch "54" a year before (that film is also set in New York, by the way), I found Ryan Philippe so cute that when this film was released, I went ahead and searched for it in video stores. Back then, there were lots of video shops renting VHS tapes, which had good versions of the movie even if the film was still showing in the cinema or yet to be released. Anyway, I was in La Union the time I got to watch this, and although the plot was somewhat a cliche (two "powerful" people making a bet of making an "ordinary" person falling in love and as the movie progress the powerful one falls seriously in love with the ordinary person), what made me like the movie was how believable the acting was. True, it was full of sexuality and profanity, but I guess this sort of things do happen in the rich man's world. Anyway, it was heart breaking that Sebastian died in the end, but what a twist this film had in the ending when Annette exposed Kathryn during Sebastian's funeral. Annette driving Sebastian's Jaguar was the cherry on top of the cake, in my opinion.
